Southern Hospitality

My trip to Knoxville, TN for this past weekend's showdown of two ranked teams was one of the most enjoyable, yet frustrating experiences of my life. I am talking about the game Saturday versus then #9 Cal and #23 Tennessee, one in which national title hopes were on the line and Heisman trophy implications were at stake. However, the team who flew under the radar is now all over it. The Tennessee Volunteers smashed my beloved Bears right in the grill, literally, from the opening kickoff and we never recovered. By literally I mean that Craig Stevens, the starting tight end, was knocked out on the opening kickoff after suffering a concussion. It was a preview of things to come for the heralded Bears program, yet if that is so, we are in trouble. QB Erik Ainge and WR Robert Meachem combined for multiple long scoring plays, and Ainge only completed 11-17 passes for 4 touchdowns. Our new spread offense did anything but spread the field, notching about as many incomplete passes as Tennessee had points. All of our weaknesses were exposed and all of our strengths mitigated by a hungry, talented group of Vols from the SEC. My experience however, was one of overall enjoyment. Don't get me wrong, I hated watching my team and school go down in a flame of embarrassment, but there is something to be said about Neyland Stadium and its 106,009 occupants. There is something to be said for the tradition of SEC football and southern hospitality, because it all exists in abundance in Knoxville. Although pummeled on the field, the home fans were more than gracious for our journeying all across America to see the game, and even before the game were offering drinks and hospitality all around. I like to talk smack with the best of them, but I really enjoyed having a congenial talk with local Tennessee fans, commenting about the nuances of the game and the southern experience. I wish good luck to the Vols and their fans this year, but that will end when we get our revenge next year in Berkeley, when UT gets a whiff of the west coast air.